Once in a Lifetime Opportunity
by To the Redwoods
Summary: Delilah's life is one failure after another. She is no good at school and is eternally awkward. But, when a mysterious pop up drops an oddly familiar stranger on her front porch, she realises it might just be the chance she needed to turn things around.
1. There Was a Kid

_A/N: What are you doing, what is this.. It was never meant to see human eyes. But you know what, I don't even care anymore. This is an excuse to broadcast my taste in music while simultaneously saving my fandom and writing one of those obnoxious manual fics that I secretly love… secretly. Well sorta, I mean it started out as that and then morphed into its own beast. Then I really liked the plot and I was like, I don't care if people don't like it, I really want to revise it and make it pretty and write it for myself. :[ So that's what I'm doing because my life is a sack of garbage right now and I'm just going to pretend this is all reality and if I think it hard enough people will like it and then I can smile again….. yeah.. That's what I'll hope will happen.. So anyway.. Enjoy I think. _

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><p><em>.. <em>_With a head full of doubt.._

I must admit, there is something extremely disheartening about knowing there are things around you that you can't control. Like knowing you aren't good at something, but being forced to do that something because of school. It's like setting yourself up for failure and in turn disappoint those few who believed in you from the beginning and attempted to cheer you on. But I'm getting off topic. As I entered my uncharacteristically empty house, I let out an unreasonably loud sigh. I had one class left to finish off my semester and it was math, and I was sure I was going to fail. I dropped my keys on the kitchen table and my backpack onto the floor with a soft thump.

If school wasn't already soul crushing enough in itself, community college made it a thousand times worse. My campus in particular was full of people who didn't want to be there, people who were there out of obligation, people who were just too old to be going to school anymore, people who were too young to be planning for the future already, and then there were people like me. People who just wanted to pay the least amount of money for their future and move on as fast as they possibly could. That being said, after six semesters at Green Oak Community College the little chip of sunshine on my shoulder that had so far been illuminating my path to success had been dimmed considerably.

And I really couldn't help but compare myself to everyone else my age. People I had gone to high school with had already been moving out of their parent's houses. They were starting their lives, they were moving on. Truth be told, I knew people who had already completed they're general education classes, and moved to Universities. Like real Universities, out of state and the entire package. And then there was me. I had decided to switch majors recently and was currently treading water trying to get caught up in math and science classes while at the same time trying to get good enough grades to transfer somewhere that would help me become a history teacher.

'But Delilah! Haven't you seen the economy? Teaching is suicide!' People had told me over and over. 'That's going to be so hard! Good luck kiddo!'

To be entirely honest, the motivation was being sucked from my body with every moment of everyday.

A soft whine from at my feet made me look up from where I'd collapsed at the kitchen table. My dog sat staring up at me with curious green eyes. I smiled softly and set a hand on her head, which she quickly moved out from under. She was named after a coconut from a TV show no one has ever heard of, on account of her brown and white fur. I always figured I would be one of those people that took their dog absolutely everywhere, and I would be if it weren't for her slightly too large size. And by that I mean she was huge.

"What is it Ruby?" I asked. She cocked her head to the side, listening for words she would recognize. "Later okay? Let's go upstairs, yeah? Then I can sit on the computer and waste my life away and you can sleep."

Together we made our way to the second floor of the house I still lived in with my parents. My room faced out to the street and when it was sunny it was hot, and otherwise it was cold. But it was where I spent most of my time during the day. Ruby hopped up on my bed, and collapsed onto my pile of pillows with a groan, and I sat down at my computer, cracking my fingers before turning the terrible device on. The internet had taken over most of my life and when I wasn't walking Ruby or at school I was sat in my rather uncomfortable desk chair and typing away lurking all corners of the internet.

As Ludwig, as I had named aptly named my computer after Germany because of the hyper organization of my files and everything on my hard-drive, woke up from his overnight and half of another day nap, I signed into Facebook and MSN and Tumblr and found with a disappointed sigh that nothing had been updated and no one was online. I opened up iTunes to start something to fill the silence that had settled in my room and I began to chew on my bottom lip, a terribly unattractive habit I had picked up to fill nervous or bored spaces of time.

A loud noise brought me back to reality as I found I had spaced out. I turned back the monitor to find a popup covering almost the entire screen. A flashy red arrow blinked out at me and bright yellow surrounded it.

"Oh come one with this-" I mumbled, moving my mouse to make the ad disappear.

"CONGRADULATIONS!" The cheery voice from the ad answered. "You've been selected out of hundreds of thousands to participate in a massive social experiment. All we require is a moment of your time and a few answers to some very simple questions. "

The arrow flashed a second time. I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes. I readjusted myself in my creaky chair. "What does that even mean.. This is a-"

"No need to worry! This is as legitimate as things come. We assure you this is not a virus in any way shape or form. Just click that flashing arrow." The voice from the pop up cut me off again.

I paused and considered the options here. On the one hand there was the possibility of a crippling computer virus. It would most likely wipe my hard drive and destroy my system, causing me to either have to get a new computer completely or restart everything. Worst case scenario I would just have to reload all my games and things, which basically only included Sims 3 and my drawing program anyway. On the other hand, the ad could be telling the truth. There might not be any virus. This could be some kind of experiment, just like it said and maybe I would get something amazing out of it.

The only problem with this was that nothing ever went right for me. Ever.

"Here's hoping.. " I whispered before taking a second and clicking the arrow.

"Great! You won't be disappointed with this decision. We can even assure you your life will be improved for your trouble."

I shook my head. "Unless you drop me a miracle.."

"The first question is easy enough! Just your first name, even a nickname will do."

'D-E-L-I-L-A-H' I typed into the box they had provided. "But just Del's fine.." I murmured as my hand fled up to my pixie short strawberry blonde hair distractedly.

"Perfect! Welcome Miss Delilah to what we have been referring to as the 'Worldwide Temporary Rehoming Project'. We're trying to spread culture across the globe and help young people like you learn more about all the countries of the world." As the voice explained a graphic appeared on the screen of the earth. Little orange arrows sprouted from little countries on the mini earth and disappeared into other little patches of green with a cute little poof of yellow. "There are only a very specific few individuals who can help us achieve this goal and lucky for us have agreed to help us with spreading the beauty and knowledge of this world. Now can you tell us first your age and where you are currently living?"

'20, California' I typed.

"Excellent! We have someone perfect in mind already! Can you tell us where it is you want to travel to most in the world?"

With an almost listless sigh I started at the screen for a moment before typing Venice, Italy. I had long since come to accept that my dream of traveling there was probably never going to come true so it was with a most heavy heart that I typed out the two words.

"Ah.. Judging by that pause you are either second guessing your choice or think every seeing this choice is an unreachable goal. Can you tell us if either of these are true?" The voice asked.

I let out another breath. Whatever this ad was doing, it was reading me perfectly well. I was certain I would never see Italy, not just Venice in particular or if I was being entirely honest with myself not even just Italy in particular. One of my dreams in life was to see the world. The only problem was, I didn't have near enough money or anyone who would go with me. Though that wasn't entirely true. I had friends who would go, but they were all as broke as I was. After another moment of staring at the screen, I entered that I was doubtful I would ever see Venice, trying to be truthful as I could with the mysterious ad.

"Ah. Well, I can assure you our program will help you achieve this dream. That is if you use what we're offering in the proper way and learn instead of taking this once in a lifetime chance for granted." The voice was somewhat comforting. "You see, we've selected you under a specific set of criteria that, well, they should become apparent when the time comes. The group of people that should also be participating in this experiment will either embrace it, or be punished and learn from it. Hopefully you will understand all of this soon enough, not to be vague but it's imperative that you discover and deal with most of this on your own. As per the experiment. You understand right?"

I understood, but I was only half listening at this point as my mind tried to remember exactly what imperative meant. Why was this ad so smart and wordy..

"With all that said Miss Delilah, your visitor should arrive in the next few hours. You will be required to attend a meeting with him in a few weeks but don't worry too much about that now. We'll send you an email. We're sure you're busy with something so we won't keep you much longer. On a personal note, you are the first sane participant in a long list of insane contacts. You have been warned for this meeting you will be meeting the other selected individuals so we wish you, as well as your personal ambassador, luck for the future. Hope to hear from you soon!"

With that, as suddenly as it had appeared, the ad was gone. My desktop background once again occupied my screen and I stared at it as the light brown eyes of my favorite light hearted cartoon character smiled out at me. "What.. In the world was all that.." I asked him, as if he would askewer back and explain the situation to me. An uneasy feeling crept into the pit of my stomach as I tried my best to remember everything that it had just told me. I was going to have a visitor? On what criteria had I been selected exactly? And what was that about some kind of meeting. A strange mixture of confusion and fear made me stand up.

"This could be alright. I just need to relax. It said it was sending someone but the thing also said they might help out with everything.. Maybe he can help out my eternal awkwardness, my inability to seem to do anything right, or maybe they can take you on a whirlwind trip of the world and the we would fall in love and live happily ever after.." I said out loud to myself. The eyes on my desktop background seemed to roll under the head of auburn hair and I narrowed my gaze back. "Oh stop. As if you're gonna show up on my doorstep and stop it from happening."

Ruby interrupted my conversation with the image on my desktop with a frustrated groan from my bed.

"Yeah.. Yeah you're right.. I think some fresh air will do us both good. Let's just do our best to forget this happened. It's got to be a joke right? .. Right? I mean there's no other explanation for this. Let's go on a walk dog."

My dog knew the meaning of that word more than any other, aside from hungry. Together we ran down the stairs. I grabbed my iPod on the way and got her leashed up. I hoped the combination of sunshine and my favorite music blaring in my ears would help me forget that the strange ad had ever popped onto me computer screen at all. And, as I had predicted, with the warm northern California sun on my face, the strange ad was shoved to the back of my mind, into a folder where everything that I wanted to forget got filed and I set out for the longest most wandering path around my neighborhood I could think of.

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><p>As we rounded the final corner to make it back home, I was fairly lost in my music. I was humming and bobbing my head to the earthy beat of the indie music playing in my ears. I glanced up as I heard muffled sounds of kids playing. The neighbor kids were always screaming, and I was ready to scowl when I saw them all playing soccer in the street but found I couldn't when my eyes fell on the group. A young man was laughing and balancing the ball on the inside of his foot. The kids were all watching him in awe as he bounced it up onto his knee and then back to his toe where it hit the toe of his fashionable dark leather loafer and flew down the street. The neighbor kids laughed and ran to chase the ball.<p>

A car drove close enough to the curb to break me out of the momentary daze I'd been caught in. I realized I had been staring at the soccer playing stranger and quickly shook my head to snap out of it. I crossed the street and let Ruby off her leash. "Go home." I told her, but instead of running up to the door, she took off towards the neighbor kids and the stranger who was once again in possession of the soccer ball.

"No, no!" I tried but my command wasn't fast enough and as the young man turned, Ruby jumped up and her paws hit his stomach, causing him to topple backwards onto the street. She hopped onto his chest and started licking his face like he was an old friend. I let out an horrified breath and ran to her. "I am so sorry!" I stuttered as I hauled her off of the giggling young man.

"Don't be sorry! What a cute puppy! What's her name?" The young man sat up as my dog continued to assault his face with kisses, despite my holding her collar tightly. "Oh you're such a pretty puppy yes you are~"

I smiled, relieved that he wasn't upset about being knocked over by a seventy pound dog. "Her name's Ruby.. But you're not hurt at all are you?"

"What a good Ruby." He smiled and struggled to his feet still laughing. He wiped off his face with the sleeve of his stripy shirt and he dusted off his dark wash jeans. "And I'm not hurt at all, well I mean, my hands are scratched a little bit, but it's nothing I pinky promise."

To be honest and when I look back now, I knew I must have been staring at him. And I must have been making a weird face as his smile faded quickly and he cocked his head to the side, but I couldn't help it really. When I had walked around the corner and first caught sight of him playing soccer, one and two hadn't clicked together. Sure I had seen his hair was a nice reddish auburn color and tousled into wavy layers that fell around his face with one wayward curl that stuck out on the side, but it hadn't really sunk in until his caramel colored eyes met my own grey ones. My mouth dropped open a little bit and I swallowed thickly. The pieces of that weird pop up clicked into place suddenly and I felt a slightly uneasy sensation in my stomach that tended to happen when I was confronted with strange or unreal situations.

A bright smile lit his face. "Oh you're really pretty! Do you have a name? My name's Feliciano. My boss told me to come here fast as I could.. But I don't know why, just that all my friends were being sent away.." He paused.

I was feeling dizzy. This couldn't be happening; it wasn't possible, was it? Fictional characters didn't just show up on your street playing soccer, did they? That just didn't happen. Or at least in my experience up until that exact moment it hadn't I set a hand on my forehead. "Oh I don't feel good.. Could you do me a huge favor and help me inside to get some water.." My knees wobbled and the Italian caught me before I toppled over with a beyond panicked look on his face.

"I would love to help you pretty girl but I don't know which house to take you to!" He managed to say, albeit it was said at a million miles an minute.

I barely nodded to the house that was currently behind us, "Where my truck is parked… " And then I passed out.


	2. And I Never Met Anyone

_A/N: You know when everything goes wrong at the same time in your life? Well that's what's been happening to me lately.. Thank you so much to everyone who read or reviewed or alerted or will be reading in the future or anything.. So let's get this going here, because I'm running late and I apologize. The song from the last chapter was For No One by The Beatles, go listen to it a hundred times. This chapter is Temptation by New Order. You should go look it up and tell me what you thought. It's a sweet song. :]_

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><p><em><span>.. Quite like you before.. <span>_

I stared at the young man over the glass of water he had hastily retrieved for me. I was still trying to process the events that had taken place over the last couple minutes. He had half carried, half dragged me into the living room of my two story home, muttering apologies the entire way when he would bump me into a wall or something. I had only been unconscious for thirty seconds tops, and was fully capable of feeling embarrassment as he had laid me down on the couch. I had stared at him again, this man of my dreams, trying to make sense of him before we had moved into the kitchen for water. So now we sat, staring at each other, in a thick awkward silence.

I cleared my throat. "I promise I'm alright. I didn't meant to um, pass out in your arms or whatever, but everything's totally fine now."

"But pretty girl, I had to carry you in here and you looked really sick.." He reached out to feel my forehead and my breath caught in my throat.

"It's Delilah, you can call me Del. So you can stop calling me pretty." I laughed awkwardly and looked down at my hands.

He cocked his head to the side. "Why not? Don't you think you're pretty? Every girl should think they're pretty, because well most girls are really pretty." His eyebrows knit together in confusion after I didn't return his bright smile. "You are pretty." He assured me.

I let out a breath and peeked up at him. "It's just low self-esteem. Look, it's not a big deal alright? Forget it. Are your hands okay?"

He bit his lip and let his warm eyes fall to his hands, which were now trapped between his knees as his fashionable shoes tapped on the hard wood floor beneath them. His palms were scratched up from the fall to the asphalt. "Oh well, they'll be just fine I'm sure."

"Well at the very least let me clean them up for you." I offered and stood up from the chair. "I can get you some bandages and fix you up good as new. What do you say?"

His face lit up. "Pretty and nice! When you finish with that I'll have to cook you something to thank you for being so extra, super nice to me!"

I forced a small smile as I made my way back to the bathroom to retrieve the antiseptic spray and a band aid or two with the bubbly Italian at my heels. "Well you might have to hold off on cooking. My parents might freak if they come home to a stranger in the kitchen, you know?" As I opened the medicine cabinet, Feliciano suddenly appeared behind me and our reflections locked gazes.

"So, what will I have to do to fix your low self-esteem?" His fingers drummed absent mindedly on the door frame behind my head. "Because I can't just leave you like this, it wouldn't be right. And I was sent here to be with you anywhere soo.."

I bit at my lip. He had confirmed for me that his appearance was related to that pop-up, but I still didn't know why. "You really don't have to do that. I mean it's not really something that's going to go away easy you know?"

"But then you won't have to worry about it anymore!" He insisted.

I finally turned around and leaned back against the sink at my back. I attempted to start a few words but ultimately gave up. My eyes fell to the band aids being crumpled in between my fingers and we stood in silence for a while. "You're really serious about that?" I stole a hesitant glance up at him.

The Italian nodded. "Of course!" A smile made his face practically glow.

I let out a breath and allowed myself a genuine smile as my heart melted at his enthusiasm. "Well that's the nicest thing anyone's ever offered to do for me. I hope you have a lot of fortitude."

"Have some faith in me! I bet I can do it no problem." He put on a serious face and touched a hand to his heart in some kind of pledge. He nodded seemingly self-satisfied, but his look of resolve fell after a moment and he tilted his head to the side. "But what does fortitude mean again?"

This time I couldn't stop a snort and it was followed by a fit of giggles. "Come on, let's get your hands cleaned up."

"You have such a pretty house Del, I mean there is so much stuff here!" Feliciano sat in the chair next to where I had sat and obediently set his hands in mine. His eyes wandered over the shelves of bottles and nick-nacks that had collected in the kitchen and living room.

"Oh well thank you, but it's like my parent's house. I just live here." I answered, leaning in to examine the damage on his hands. Subconsciously I mentally noted everything about his hands. Pale slender fingers, and delicate palms could only belong to an artist. They were pale and soft with tiny callouses in places where I could only imagine he would hold a paintbrush or a pencil. The perfect hands were absolutely marred by the tiny cuts, bruises and rocks. I let out a breath. "I think that these will look much better once they're clean."

"You should tell me about you." Feliciano suggested suddenly. "Then we won't be strangers anymore."

"About me?" I asked without looking up.

"Mmhm! Everything! I mean all I know so far is your name and that this is your parent's house. Is it weird that I want to know more?"

"No it's not weird at all except that I know even less about you. So, if I tell you about me you have to tell me about you. How about that?"

His sunny smile faltered and he replied hesitantly. "Yeah. Alright. I guess I can make that deal."

"Well my name's Delilah. I'm twenty-one years old and I go to Green Oak Community College where I'm majoring in history and trying to transfer the hell out of there as soon as possible. I have a sister who is a lot younger than me, and then there's my parents, who spoil me a little bit too much. I know I don't have a lot to offer, but I also know I'm not completely useless." I paused, then corrected myself. "No but that's not completely true. I'm scared of almost everything and that kinda keeps me from being effective in the world. Needles are top of the list, then the dark and heights and cockroaches.." I finally stole a glance up from his now cleaned off hands. He blinked carefully over at me with his caramel covered eyes. "And I guess that's pretty much it. Your turn."

"You're unhappy?" He asked quietly.

I blinked a few times, suddenly embarrassed that I was so easy to read. "Oh, well only until I get out of school. Right now I don't really feel like I'm good at much of anything. And all my dreams are pretty unreachable-"

"What are they?"

His question caught me off guard, but I cleared my throat and answered him. "Oh, well I want to see the world. You know, travel like everywhere." I quickly returned my focus to cleaning his palms. "I can't really want to learn history without going and seeing the places I love reading about you know?"

Suddenly he grabbed my hands tightly in his and grinned. "I can help with that! That's why I'm here I think. So don't be sad! I promise right now to take you anywhere at all you want to go, okay?"

"So that weird ad. It did send you hear didn't it?" I asked quietly.

"Maybe…. ? I'm not really too sure. I just know my boss said I was being sent here to help. This has to be the reason, don't you think?" He nodded and grinned. "I'll show him I can do something besides run away now. This is perfect. I will make everything alright for you."

I bit my lip. "Well the ad said you were somebody special. I can see why now. Do you want to tell me about yourself? You made a deal remember?"

"Well, what do you want to know? I'm not that interesting.." He seemed hesitant and pulled his hands from mine.

"Everything. Well I mean anything you're willing to tell me." I leaned forward onto the table and set my chin in my elbow.

Nervously, he trapped his hands between his knees again. "Well. That's kinda tricky. But I'll give it a shot for you. Um.. My name's Feliciano Vargas, but just Feli's fine. Mm.. I'm a lot older then I look. I have a lot of friends from all over the world and we are always being called together for meetings where nothing ever gets done. Oh and I know it's pretty obvious, but I'm not here. I'm from Italy, that's where my accent comes from." He giggled, obviously pleased with himself. "I guess that's all."

"Can I ask you what brings you here though? I mean I know you said something about your boss, is that all you know about that weird ad?" I sat up again and tilted my head to the side. I wasn't sure if he knew I knew who he was. Not to mention the situation itself was altogether impossible, anyway. I decided it would probably be for the best if I kept that information to myself for now. I wasn't sure how he would react if I suddenly knew everything about him.

"Oh, well, I already told you pretty much all I know. I know that the other- I mean, my other friends all were shipped out as well." His warm eyes slipped shut as he seemed to concentrate harder. "And I know it was all for some project of something. And I got a paper with your address on it before I left on the plane.. So I came here. But other than that I really don't know. I'm really sorry." He produced a small piece of paper from the pocket of his fitted slacks and held it out. "Lucky I ended up here and not with someone who knows- Er that is to say someone who wants to hurt me."

I took the paper from him and looked it over. Nothing but my address and no other clues. "No don't be sorry. That's just weird that they wouldn't tell you anything, especially if you're being sent to a stranger's house. I would be worried sick if I had to send you away to some person's house-"

"That settles it! You are way too nice and I would feel just terrible if I can't at least cook you a little something to say thank you." He grabbed my hands again and the paper fluttered to the floor to be investigated by Ruby, who had been laying at our feet under the table. "Do you like pizza? Or spaghetti? Or maybe raviolis?"

At a slight loss I nodded. "I promise you can cook all those things for me, just not right now, okay."

"But how else will I thank you for being so nice to me?" His face fell.

I struggled for an answer. "Don't disappear.." I barely whispered before I could stop myself and my hands tightened subconsciously around his.

His smile faltered. "Wh.. What? Why would I.. Do that..?"

"Oh.. I uh-" The sound of my phone ringing saved me the embarrassment of having to explain the words that had tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I let go of his hands in a flash and fumbled to answer my phone. "Hello?" I cleared my throat after squeaking out the greeting.

Feliciano laughed before leaning closer to me over the table to listen better.

"Hey sweetie. Are you at home? I'm right around the corner, just went out to the store to get a few things for dinner and stuff." My mom's cheery voice came through the other line and I let out a small breath.

"Yeah, I just got here. I was out with Ruby. We, well we met up with one of my friends. He's hanging out here for a while. Is that okay?"

"He? Oh that's fine with me. Is he cute? Do I know him? Will this friend still be there when I get home?" I could practically see her teasing grin through the phone.

My face turned a violent shade of red and I covered my eyes with my hand. "No- Well yes, but stop. That's not funny at all Mom."

"Mmhm. Love you Del. See you in a sec." With that my mom was gone off the other line and I fell into panic.

"Oh no, if they sent you here straight from the airport you don't have anywhere to stay do you?" I hopped to my feet.

The Italian shook his head and stood as well. "No I don't. I'm sorry! I hadn't even thought about that!"

"Don't be sorry at all. If they sent you here then you'll be staying here. I'm not going to kick you out onto the street to fend for yourself. But, we might have to get creative about sneaking you around.." I trailed off, suddenly aware of how small my bed was and that we would both have to share a shower, he would be naked in my bathroom. He was way to attractive to think that that might be a reality at this point. We would have to cross that bridge when we came to it.

"You are the kindest human being on the entire face of the earth Delilah. I'm really good at sneaking. It'll be like I'm not even here I promise." He grabbed me and spun me around in a dizzying dance move to some imaginary music.

"I swear someone must have sent you here who was trying to save me from myself. We'll have fun I promise." I whispered into his soft shirt. He took a step back still holding my hands tightly in his. He opened his mouth to respond but the garage door shuttered and then began to open and cut him off. Ruby jumped to her feet and ran between us to go wait by the back door for my mom. I bit my lip and turned. "First thing you have to do is meet my mom. She's a little bit of a character. Good luck?" I smiled weakly over my shoulder at him and his hands slid from mine reluctantly.

His eyes opened slowly. "Should I be scared." He looked concerned.

The back door opened before and all I could do to answer back was smile encouragingly.

"I'm home Del. Now where's this friend of yours?"


	3. Though I May Be on a Downer

_A/N: Welp, I have no time for anything. And when I do have time it's filled with working.. Or school, or homework. Or any combination of the 3. Being an adult is haaaaard. :\ But I am taking all the hours at work I possibly can, which is still not many since its winter and people aren't really out buying smoothies.. But it's so I can save up money to make certain dreams reality (Like moving away for school next semester which will be happening. San Francisco here I come.). That and I'm taking something like 17 units this semester so it's getting pretty rough.. But I'll be alright! Sorry for not updating.. Hopefully someone still cares.. But I need to kinda disappear for the semester because believe it or not College sucks and sometimes is really, really hard. :[ I apologize for this long authors note, but just alerting everyone as to what's up in Howls life away from the computer. How about all of you? How are you guys.. _

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><p><em>.. I'm still ready to dream.<em>

After recovering from the initial shock of my mother entering the room, we had a second of awkward silence. Both Feliciano and my mom took a moment to examine each other, or in my mom's case I figured she was trying to think of the most embarrassing thing she could possibly think of to tell the Italian.

My mom's name is Terese, pronounced Ter, as in tariff, then ese, as in Greece, but she usually gets every other pronunciation aside from the actual one, because apparently it's the hardest name to say in the world. Even though we live in California, my mom is convinced she is a cowgirl. Probably because she has friends who ride horses and she occasionally saddles up to walk a trail with said friends. So, she almost always wears cowboy boots and a pair of blue jeans. A subtle reminder to her-self is how I like to think of it, of how she is the Wild West, apparently. Aside from that, my mom is only a little taller than me, with short salt and pepper colored hair. The problem always was, she seemed unassuming enough until she started to talk and you realize what you've gotten yourself into.

Not about to give her the opportunity to speak first, I cleared my throat and broke the momentary pause that time had taken. "Mommy, this is my new friend. His names Feliciano and-"

"Oh so_ that's_ what this is about!" My mom cut me off with a dangerous smile. "Has Del told you about her obsession with everything Italian? She's going to go there you know. Maybe you can take her, huh?"

My hand covered my eyes immediately in complete embarrassment. "Mom.."

"And you are a cutie too aren't you!" My mom nudged me with her elbow as she got a closer look at Feliciano, who now giggled into his palm. "So what's the deal here? How did you two hook up?"

"Did you, have to say it like that.." I tried to keep my blush under control as I looked up at Feli for an answer.

"School~" He answered easily, but then hesitated. "Well, sorta. I was here on business, kinda. I work for important.. What's that word.. Ambassadors! Yeah I work for some ambassadors, and other people like that. And I was out here for a while on business before with my boss, and I liked it so I came back. But.. But.. I had to take some classes so I could stay.. here?" He trailed off and I literally face palmed.

I let out a slow breath to recompose myself, than nodded. "Feliciano works for the government, but kinda quit to live out here for a while. Isn't that interesting?"

My mom gave us both a strange look. "Look, if you guys met somewhere else that's fine. You don't have to make up a weird story. Besides you could to better then that hottie, just a thought. But if that's what you're going with then I won't judge." She paused. "You're not a sexy travel agent are you? Here to whisk this one away to foreign lands so she'll stop bothering me about it?"

"Mom!" I tried.

Feli only laughed again. "A travel agent? I could be one if you want! That's an easy one for me."

I let out an exasperated sigh and opened my mouth to answer. If my mom wasn't there I would have grabbed him and accepted but I restrained myself.

"Oh you should hear her talk about traveling. It's like, Italy this and Venice that. I swear if I have to hear about that country one more time.." She paused. "I never introduced myself did I? I'm Terese, Del's mom. I'm going to go shower. Are you still going to be here when I get back Mr. Travel Agent?" She was already halfway up the stairs, so neither me or Feli answered. But I really don't think she was listening though, as the door to her room shut tight and the shower started to run almost immediately.

Having been thoroughly embarrassed, I sank into one of the chairs at the kitchen table and set my face on my arms. "I am so sorry."

"Your mom is nice." He turned to me. "Hey what's wrong?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. She just said all that to embarrass me is all."

His mouth formed a little 'o' and he sat down next to me. I felt one of those perfect artist hands on my shoulder. "Well don't worry too much. Everything will be just fine. I promise!"

I nodded and watched him for a moment. "We have to hide you before my mom gets out of the shower. Otherwise she'll know you're gonna be staying here. Which you will be right? I mean you did show up here without a car or anything."

His face fell a little bit.

I sighed. "Yeah that's what I thought."

"I'm sorry.."

"No, no. Don't be sorry at all. We'll figure it out. If you showed up on my doorstep I'll consider you my guest. I'll take care of everything alright?" I met his nervous gaze with a genuine smile followed quickly by my hands awkwardly covering his. Silence settled over the kitchen as I tried desperately to come up with something to say. I had begun to chew on my lip when my attention was redirected rather suddenly. My mom's shower water shut off and I hopped to my feet. "Shit.. Come on we gotta get you upstairs or you'll never get up there. I'll tell my mom you left or something but we've got to move now."

He hesitated then stood slowly. "You need to sneak me around? Will everything be alright then? Where will I be hiding mostly? What if someone finds me. How will I make food?" The more he said the more frantic he became and his questions came out rushed.

I was suddenly out of my element and unsure of how to comfort him so I set a hand back on his. "Uh.. It'll be alright. Just smile and.. Oh! I know, are you hungry? We'll get you hidden away and then I'll make you something. How does that sound?" My hand moved to his wrist and I tugged gently.

Feliciano's face lit up. "You can cook? Oh that'd be great!"

I pulled him up the stairs and he chattered away happily about recipes and things I should try. I peeked into my mom's bedroom warily. I would hear her humming along with the radio as a shadow passed in from of the curtain separating the bedroom from the bathroom. I turned and pushed the Italian gently down the hallway. As quick as I could, I shut the door tight behind us.

"Oh wow! Your room is super cool! Oh what are these! You must really like green and owls! And oh look at this! You have so many movies!" Feliciano jumped around my room, looking at piles of nick-knacks on shelves and pictures of my pets and other things that had accumulated in my cluttered space.

I let out a breath. "Thank you. All this stuff means a lot to me, I kinda have been making it just so for a long time now." My eyes skimmed over the space I thought looked something like a dusty antique gallery. Old shelves were covered with knick-knacks and the walls were covered with things. I was always bringing home new candles or something to fill any empty spaces that were left scattered around my room. "I'm glad you like it. I need you to relax here for a while. You can put in a movie or TV or you can nap or something and I'll go see what I can make you."

"Okay~"

I shushed him and he set both hands over his mouth. "Whatever you do, do it quietly alright? Remember you aren't supposed to be here. Be right back."With that, I slipped from the door and back down the stairs. I hopped off the last few and turned into the kitchen, practically toppling my mom and over my dog.

"Oh there you are. Where'd that cutie pie get to?" She asked.

"Home." I answered, digging through the fridge and pulling out things to put together a sandwich for the aforementioned 'cutie-pie'. He was a picky eater, I recalled, but hopefully a simple sandwich would be alright. "But.. Hopefully he'll be back soon. He's a really nice guy. Ruby, stop begging." I scolded my dog, whose eyes had locked on my food since I pulled it from the fridge.

"So whats the deal there? Are you finally done fantasizing about cartoons and actors you will never meet and try out someone who's actually made of flesh and bones?"

I snorted. The irony of the situation was too much. That and I could foresee a large amount of stress in the near future. Sneaking Feliciano around the house while simultaneously keeping him at ease would be hard, but I would do my best. I wanted him to be comfortable, and secretly I thought maybe I could get him to fall in love with me, and he would whisk me away to what I presumed was a luxury apartment on Venice island. My mind had wandered far enough and I focused back in on the sandwich I was rushing to make.

"-Del are you even listening to me?" My mom crossed her arms and gave me a look from across the room. "If you don't get your head out of Disneyland nothing's ever going to happen for you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah yeah. I got it. Reality and Disneyland. I love you." I kissed my mom's cheek and darted upstairs before she could say anything else.

She was right though, on a certain level. I did need to get my head out of the clouds and start focusing on real life. As much as that was something I really didn't want to do, as I much preferred it on my cloud of daydreams, real life was calling and I needed to pick up the phone before it passed me by and I was left a twenty something old failure. I set my hand on the door to my room, half thinking the day so far had all been another elaborate dream that my over imaginative brain had concocted. If that was the case, everything could go on normally, I would hop on the internet, eat the sandwich I had made myself and not have to worry about trying to figure out what to do with a personified Mediterranean country in my house. The irony was so much more then I could handle. My mom lecturing me about reality when there was a country from what I had previously thought belonged in nothing but a made up universe in my room.

Almost reluctantly, I pushed the door of my room open and practically dropped my food. There was indeed someone in my room, someone who had removed all their clothes minus a pair of pale yellow boxers and had fallen asleep on my bed. I choked on my breath as I tried to keep myself from looking at his skin.

"Well, this is going to be interesting." I managed to whisper to myself.


	4. Love is a Stranger

_A/N: Exalted cries of why are heard from the high mountains as the long absent returns to type something I just had lying around. I miss Hetalia now that I've spent some time away, one a fangirl always as it would seem. Do you guys remember me? I apologize. Also the song is called Inside (This Heart of Mine)by Fats Waller. I love big band music. _

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><p><em>..Inside this heart of mine..<em>

With a shaky sigh, I stood against the closed door of my bedroom, clutching the plate with the sandwich on it. I watched Feliciano with curious eyes. It was strange to see him solid and laying sprawled out on my bed, his breath came, steady and even and real. I the blush that had crept onto my cheeks cooled off and was able to get my heart rate under control. His clothes lay in a pile on the floor beside the bed and he seemed to have taken my advice and made himself right at home which was perfectly fine.

He let out a soft groan and with a shiver he curled into a little ball on top of my comforters. I smiled softly and set the sandwich I had made him on the vanity beside my bed. I hesitated him before tucking him in tightly. He was wearing some kind of cologne that smelled absolutely delicious.

I didn't have too much time to be lightheaded and thinking about the Italian in my bed because my phone rang again and interrupted my thoughts. It sounded infinitely louder in the silent room and a struggled to pull it from the pocket of my jeans and answered it without checking who was calling.

"Hello?" I asked quietly.

"Dude are you alright? You sound weird.." The voice of my best friend Sarah came through the line and I relaxed a little bit. "What's going on?"

"No, no I'm fine. It's just been a weird day." I let out a relieved breath. "What are you doing right now?"

"Calling to ask you the same question. I'm off today, want to hang out?"

"Yes, oh but it's.. Well I have.. Something.." My eyes remained on Feliciano's peacefully sleeping face. He was a vision and he was making it hard to focus.

"What do you mean? Are you okay?" Her voice was concerned and I only laughed a little bit.

"Oh it'll be easier if you see it. Just trust me you wouldn't believe it if I told you. On my way okay?"

"If you say so. See you soon."

I hung up the phone and let out another shaky breath then reached out and touched his shoulder, validating again that he was solid and real. "Hey, Feliciano? Want to meet my friend Sarah?"

His honey eyes slipped open with a soft groan and he looked up at me sleepily. "Mmm, it was time for a siesta."

I held out his clothes for him. "It's barely three. Let's go out and you can meet one of my friends okay. Let's get you dressed. You can even finish your nap at my her apartment."

With a yawn and a stretch he sat up and rubbed at his eyes. After a short struggle he pulled on his shirt and then his pants before giving me a sheepish smile. "Can you help with my shoes, I can't exactly tie the laces."

I nodded and knelt in front of his feet. "Of course I can." I slipped the brown dressy shoes he had been wearing on. "You fell asleep really fast. I couldn't have been downstairs for more than a couple minutes." I commented.

"I came here straight from the airport, didn't have time to catch a nap." He sounded ready to fall asleep again.

I stood up and pulled lightly on his hand, which was becoming something that seemed familiar. He stood up and I straightened his shirt out. "Grab a blanket and you can finish napping as soon as we get there okay?"

He gave me a sleepy salute and wrapped my favorite blanket around his shoulders. "Let's sneak now, I promise I'm good that it."

I nodded and turned to peak out the door to my bedroom. It sounded like my mom was still downstairs, I knew my dad wasn't home and neither was my younger sister. So as long as we could avoid my mom we could get Feliciano out of the house and come back once everyone was asleep. I felt a hand take mine tightly and I immediately relaxed, I could get used to the feeling of those artists hands wrapped around mine. I shook the thought away and turned back to him. "Are you ready?"

He nodded. "Si!"

"Okay, don't say a word remember."

I pulled him through the door and too the top of the stairs, where his hand shifted from mine to the back of my flowery shirt so he could make his way down the stairs crouched behind me. "Hey mom? I'm going over to Sarah's, okay?" We crept into the kitchen as the sounds of my mom moving around in the laundry room encouraged me to grab my keys and purse from the counter without her seeing Feliciano. "I'll be back later tonight alright?"

"Okay honey I love you!" My mom's voice echoed from through the living room and down a hallway. With a definite location I slipped into the kitchen and grabbed my purse and car keys from the kitchen counter.

"See you later tonight Mom!" I called as I motioned Feliciano towards the door. He wrapped the knit blanket tighter around his shoulders so it wouldn't drag on the cement as we slipped out the front door. I turned and locked the door quickly and took his arm and lead him out towards the car. "That went better than expected. Come on, I'll get you to my friends couch."

"And I'll stay awake the entire drive just as long as you promise I can sleep as soon as we get there." He climbed into my truck after I opened the door for him.  
>I rushed around to my side and hopped up as well. "You can even cook if you wanted to. I pinky promise." I held out my finger for him, and after he examined it for a second, he wrapped his slender pinky around mine and held it tightly.<p>

With that we took off. It was only a short drive to my friend's apartment, just out my neighborhood and around a corner just past a grocery store. I turned down a side street in order to park in the court behind the apartment complex, which was always packed with cars, and once we parked I had the opportunity to steal a glance and Feliciano, who was looking out the window of my truck with sleepy eyes.

"You ready to meet Sarah?" I asked as he turned back to me.

"Yes, and to finish my nap also."

With that I slipped out of the car and rushed around to open the door again for him. As he took a careful step out so he didn't trip over the blanket on the way out. His hand immediately found mine through the folds of knit of the blanket that was draped around his shoulders.

I tried to smile as I looked around before leading him across the parking lot towards Sarah's apartment. As we made our way up to the door from around some hedges I stopped suddenly. "No you should, probably stay here for just a second. She's not used to me having cute boys around."

"You think I'm cute?" He asked through a smile.

"Just stay here." My face had turned bright red, but I ignored his comment and left him just out of view as I rushed up and knock on my friend's door.

"Well that was fast dude." My friend appeared from behind the door. She had always been prettier than I me, in my opinion. She had long hair that fell in soft waves and bright blue eyes. That and she was taller than me, where I was just sort of awkwardly short as far as I was concerned. She peeked around expectantly for a bag or a box or something. "So.. What did you bring?"

"Okay don't freak out."

She narrowed her gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Okay, just don't say anything and don't freak out. Promise me." I glanced briefly at Feli who was watching me carefully.

"Okay I promise. What is it?"

I motioned to Feliciano to come forward and when he stopped at my side and took my hand again I looked up at Sarah. "Okay Feli, this is Sarah. Sarah, I'd like you to meet Feliciano."

"It's really nice to meet you." He smiled and held out one of his pale artist's hands for her to take, which she did after examining it carefully. "But also, I'm really sleepy and was wondering if I could borrow your couch for a minute because Delilah promised it was comfortable."

Sarah stepped to the side to allow the sleepy Italian to stumble passed her, toe his shoes off and collapse in a ball onto the couch.

"Wait, seriously?" Sarah managed to say as I too stepped inside. She knelt in front of his face took look at it closer. "One: he's absolutely gorgeous and two: how is that even possible?"

I leaned against the counter top and shrugged. "You're guess is as good as mine dude. I got this weird pop up ad and then I took Ruby out on a walk and then he was there, playing soccer with those obnoxious kids that live on the corner."

Sarah looked up at me. "He was.. What?"

I shook my head. "He's just been at my house all day, and if that ad is connected to him showing up I get to hang out with him for another month or so. He'll come with me to school tomorrow and then he can meet my parents, I don't know what to think. He is adorable though isn't he?"

"You and I both know what brought this spaghetti dumpling to your door." She shook her head as she touched Feliciano's shoulder lightly to prove to herself he was real.

"Oh and what's that."

"Destiny."

"Oh no don't be ridiculous." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey Delilah.." Feliciano groaned in his sleep.

I took a step towards him and he grabbed me and pulled me onto the couch to use as a pillow. "Okay, I'm here don't worry."

"Look, not only has destiny brought you two together, but he likes you on top of that. Don't let him get away."

I sighed and looked down at the sleeping Italian. Sarah had a point. It wasn't every day that you're thrown into an impossible situation with the Prince Charming of your dreams. He did seem to like me, or at least he was doing a pretty good job pretending to. "I'll do my best. He is absolutely perfect."

I was smitten, that was for sure.


	5. But You Got Through

_A/N: My muse is hanging around for the time being. Why don't you all tell me how you've been in the mean-time. Are you all going to school? What is even happening anymore outside the walls of my apartment and attack on titan. Excuse this outlet to my long dormant fangirl._

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><p>.. Didn't you..<p>

After another half hour or so, Feliciano stirred and woke, immediately complaining about being hungry. It was hard to see it as complaining though, because even when he was whining it was cute. Sarah had suggested walking to the grocery store so the Italian could cook something like he had been talking about all day, and then swiftly disappeared into her bedroom to change.

He had started scribbling a grocery list on a scrap of paper in small neat cursive. I tried to peak over his shoulder, but realized quickly that he was writing in Italian and shook my head. Although I tried to apply some of the four years of Spanish I had taken in high school, I couldn't even begin to read what he had written.

"No fair Feli. I can't read that." I shoved him on the shoulder lightly.

"Well that's the point isn't it? I want it to be a surprise!" He smiled brightly at me.

"It's not too expensive right?" I leaned onto the counter top to steal another peek.

"Nope I promise."

Our faces had gotten a little closer as we spoke, but instead of shying back I took the opportunity to examine his face. His eyes were beautiful, and his smile was something just short of sunshine. He had almost delicate long eyelashes and the tiniest freckles dusted across his cheeks and nose from being in the sun. Even his hair, that fell into his face just a little bit, was an impossible auburn color. I don't know how I managed to keep my composure around him at all.

Sarah reemerged slipping her hands through the sleeves of a cardigan and smiled at us. "You two ready?"

I jumped back and turned bright red. Feliciano frowned briefly, then held up the shopping list.

"I think I got everything down. Only I was also thinking that this walk, it's not very far is it?" He folded the list carefully and slipped it into his pocket.

I grabbed my purse from the couch as Sarah opened the door and gave him a strange look. "No Feli, it's not far at all. You can probably see it from the street." We stopped just outside the door as Sarah locked it behind us. My eyes dropped to my phone to scan over a message from my mom about dinner and I quickly replied saying we wouldn't be there but thanks. At the same time I felt a hand slip into mine. I was getting used to the feeling of Feliciano's hand in mine, and it was getting fairly comforting. I smiled up at him and he grinned back as Sarah began to walk.

"So, Feliciano. How did you two meet?" She asked as we started down the sidewalk.

His eyes watched the cars warily. "Um, school. I work for the government and had to take classes to stay here. I wanted to be here so I picked some classes." The lie was coming somewhat easier and he glanced over at me.

"Well that's good. And you're from Italy?" She slipped a pair of sunglasses on.

"How did you guess?" He giggled. "From Venice actually. I'm going to take Del there someday I promised and I never go back on a promise."

I shook my head. "If you say so Feli."

He turned to me with a shocked expression. "What? No no, I promised you remember?" He lifted my hand and wrapped his pinky around mine for the second time that day. "I swear I will take you there you don't have to worry about that okay?"

We walked the rest of the way to the store, chatting about how much Feliciano loved Venice and how he had always lived there ever since he was a kid. He seemed beyond ecstatic to take me to where he lived and was trying his best to explain everything in vivid detail, but with his excitement, his accent seemed to grow thicker and harder to understand and then without warning he was speaking in Italian. I tried not to laugh as I set a hand on his arm to try to get him to slow down. Sarah had turned and was making a face as she tried to understand even just one word of his rapidly spoken Italian.

"Feliciano we can't understand you." I said as he turned to me.

"Oh.. I'm really sorry! I didn't realize I had stopped speaking English.." He trailed off and pouted. "I was just saying I can't wait to show you everything there is to see there is all."

We had stopped outside of the door of the grocery store momentarily. Which coincidentally was where Sarah worked in the deli, all the time. She barely ever had days off, but had lots of friends here and didn't mind swinging by whenever we needed to. She loved her job for the most part.

"I'm gonna go check my schedule real quick. You guys want to grab all the ingredients and we'll meet back up at the registers whenever you guys are done okay?" With that she was gone into the automatic door with a wave back over her shoulder.

Feliciano giggled.

"What?" I asked, turning to him with a smile.

"Nothing." He grinned and took my hand again. His other hand slipped into his pocket to grab the shopping list he had put together. "Come on! I'm starving and I can't wait to cook for you." He pulled me in through the door the way Jennie had gone and towards the vegetables in a hurry as he mumbled to himself everything he had written down.

I managed to snag a basket as we walked past the stack and I squeezed his hand a little bit. "So what do we need first?"

"Tomatoes." He said as he began to sort through the bright red vegetables.

I watched him carefully. As he picked up a few different tomatoes, the carefree smile slipped from his face and his eyes glazed over a little bit as if he was thinking about something that worried him. "Feliciano? Is everything okay?"

"Huh?" He turned to me, and immediately turned his eyes down to the tomato in his hand. "Oh yes, only I was just thinking. If I got sent away, then all my friends must have too. And I was just thinking about my brother, Romano. If he wasn't lucky like me, to end up with someone nice like you, then I was just thinking what if he's in trouble. Plus I forgot my phone at home so I can't text him like I normally do." His slender fingers picked at the stem of the vegetable.

"Well do you know his cell number?" I held out my phone. "If you do you can call him on mine, to make sure he's okay."

His face lit up. "Oh would you let me? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He took the phone and quickly dialed a long series of numbers into the touchpad before holding it up to his ear. His eyes slipped shut as he listened carefully, but his other hand took a tight hold onto mine. His eyebrows knit together and a painful, tense moment passed before his face lit up and a voice came through the line, muffled and clearly angry. "Fratello! Oh I'm so glad you're alright, I have been worrying and worrying because I forgot my phone-" He stopped suddenly and his eyes opened. "What are you saying? You'll have to slow down Lovino-"

I searched his face and suddenly a fearful expression passed over his face. "What is it?" I breathed as he flinched and pulled his hand from mine. "What is it, what's wrong?"

He began to chew on his lip and abruptly switched to Italian. His eyes got shifty as he looked around fearfully. I tried to touch his hand again but he stumbled back away from me and my heart broke. What was his brother saying.

The hushed conversation gradually switched back to English as it ended. "Please stay safe Lovino. Call soon."

"What did he say?"

"You know who I am." His voice was barely a whisper.

"What do you mean?" My blood ran cold. I knew at once I should have been honest with him. "What did your brother say." I took a careful step towards him.

He hesitated. "The girl Romano ended up knew everything about him. She knew who he was and where he was from and was asking him so many questions about me and our friends.." He kept his eyes on me with a face of absolute terror. "What are you going to do with me."

I reached out and took his hand tightly in mine. He tried to pull it away at first and then seemed to decide he didn't want to and grasped my hand back. "Feliciano, tell me, am I scary?"

He shook his head. "No, you're the exact opposite."

"I would never ever hurt you." I whispered.

"Romano, he said that the girl was asking him about Germany and Spain. And me." He paused again. "You know who I am?"

"I do, and I'm sorry I should have been honest with you, but I haven't done anything to you and I won't. You have my word." I looked up at him desperately. "I can't lose you." I managed to breath.

His bright gaze watched me carefully. I hope he knew I wouldn't hurt him, and that I never would do anything to betray the trust he had given me. "I'm not scared of you." He finally decided. "Romano, he sounded terrified. You haven't tried to touch me.. Or anything."

"I'm not like that girl." I said quietly.

He nodded then pulled me into a tight hug. "Now that I don't have to keep that secret we can be best friends and I can tell you anything I'm thinking." He told me quietly. "And you can do the same. From now on no more secrets. You have to promise to protect me though if we run into that girl.."

"I promise." I was able to muster up a relieved laugh. I had his trust back after the momentary lapse, and I didn't have to keep any huge secrets from him now. But on the other hand, and in the back of my mind, I remembered the ad had mentioned some kind of conference we would have to attend where we would be confronted with however many more of these girls who knew who the nations were and I had no idea what to expect. But I was not going to let them near Feliciano by any means. I would keep the promise without compromise. I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes against his chest.

"There we go! That's a real hug Delilah!" He spun me around a few times before letting go and taking my shoulders in his hands. "Now let's get everything together so we can cook something for dinner."

I managed a relieved sigh and a smile. "I know it'll be delicious."

Sarah rejoined us after we had grabbed the rest of the ingredients so we could return back to her apartment to cook. Feliciano made seafood pasta, which was delicious. After dinner we had taken off because I had a class in the morning. On the way out the door Sarah had winked to me and told me to text her the next day to which I had rolled my eyes and nodded. We made our way back to my home that night to study for my test in the morning. Feliciano fell asleep the wrong way on my bed back in his boxers and I managed to set up a place for myself on the floor, somewhat reluctantly.

As I was drifting off for the night, I couldn't help but think to myself how excited I was to get to know the Italian better. It was going to be a very good summer.


	6. What a Beautiful Face

_A/N: I have nothing to say except I literally am more exhausted than I have ever been in my life and all I want to do it go to bed but I can't sleep. And I can't stop thinking about my ex-boyfriend and its starting to make me sad. Please enjoy this chapter you guys….. Maybe review? That would make me happy. Honestly don't be shy.. I will send you a super nice message and we can be friends. Oh also, all the songs that I've used so far will be in a list at the bottom of this chapter. _

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><p>.. I have found in this place..<p>

A week passed for Feliciano and I. We spent nearly every moment together, minus showers, which was a given. He had been unhappy in the morning when he realized I had slept on the floor that first night and insisted we stay in bed together, which was awkward at first but got comforting faster than I'd like to admit. Soon I found that I couldn't sleep until he was snuggled into my back and breathing softly against my neck. We had gone to my school for my final the next day, which I had most likely failed. But it was alright because he was waiting for me outside of the door. After that we had gone out and gotten sandwiches and Feli made me laugh until tears were leaking down by cheeks and I couldn't breathe.

It should go without saying that the week flew by. One night, after watching a movie the Italian had fallen asleep in a ball on my bed. I was going to follow after checking my email. With a ding the page updated and a new email from an address I didn't recognize appeared on the page.

After a click it opened:

"Dear Delilah,

We do hope Mr. Vargas is fitting into your household. This social experiment is crucial to the development of future policies involving humans and nations. The two of you will be required to be in Washington DC for a meeting being held the day after tomorrow. You will be meeting with the other nations as well as their chaperones. Don't worry as we will be providing your hotel and your plane tickets will be waiting for you at the airport of your choice. The accommodations will provide for you to enjoy yourselves for a week while the meetings will be taking place, as well as a ball, which will be held on the final day of the trip as a celebration for all you've done for us. Please respond to this message as soon as possible so we can send your tickets and prepare your room instead of having someone come to collect you."

I reread the message a few times before biting on my lip and clicking respond.

"This is Delilah Brown. Feliciano and all will gladly come for the meetings, he misses his brother and all of his friends and he will be happy to see them all. I am also nervously excited to meet the other participants in this experiment. The nearest airport to here is Sacramento International. Thank you again for this opportunity."

"Send." I mumbled. I sat for a moment and thought. An entire week with the Italian all to myself was a bit intimidating but I had done alright up until that moment. I figured it was about time I took him hiking before our big day of travel. I was sure it would take some convincing but it would make me so happy if I could show my new favorite person my favorite place.

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><p>The sun rose the next day and after some serious convincing I got the doe eyed Italian to put on something other than his stylish slacks and we made our way to the open space park in my hometown, Pena Adobe. Ruby knew exactly where we were going and whined in the car the entire way there. As we approached the golden hills, I had to reassure Feliciano that we weren't going to be doing anything to difficult. However by the time we reached the top of the first hill he was complaining and we still had two more hills to go.<p>

"Come on Feli!" I set one of my hands on my hip and used the other to wipe a few beads of sweat from under my light color bangs. "The sun is gonna set before we get to the top."

Ruby whined in agreement and pulled on the leash in the direction of the top of the trail up the gravel path.

The Italian had bent over with his hands on his knees in order to catch his breath. He broke eye contact in order to hang his head and in a sweep his auburn bangs covered his eyes. "But I'm so tired Delilah. We've been up here for hours by now. Can't we just go back?"

Ruby whined again and I sighed.

"But we're so close. We've got to make it to the top when we've come so far." I reasoned. Slowly his gaze rose to meet mine. Sweat glistened just under his hair and he was pouting. I laughed. "Come on Feliciano. When we reach the top you can sit and even take a nap if you wanted."

He let out an exasperated breath before straightening his back and catching up to me. "You know sometimes you're just like Germany only way prettier and more encouraging." He slipped his hand into mine and winked.

I laughed. "I'm just saying, if I can do it you can to. I walk this with Ruby all the time."

"Well I would rather be napping then working so hard to climb a mountain."

After only a few more stops, we reached the top of the trail. We sat side by side in the grass at the edge of the hill and I produced a few water bottles from my backpack. Ruby lay down beside us and we relaxed.

"Now, try to imagine the first thing you see isn't a prison and it's a pretty perfect place don't you think?" I leaned towards him and held up my hands in order to block out the grey complex directly below the top of the hill. "I mean it's no Venice I'm sure but I like it." I set my chin on my knees as a breeze rolled through the golden grass.

"Hm. I like it too. Where's your house from here?" Feliciano squinted out at the sprawl of houses under us. We were facing the edge of town. Another field of rolling golden hills lay beyond the last of the homes. In the farthest distance, beyond the freeway, you could even see the faint shadows of buildings of the state capital on clear days.

"Well, my house is going to be right there." I leaned close to him again and pointed to a cluster of houses beside a small green patch at the very edge of the houses. "That's a park and I live in the neighborhood right next to it."

He grinned, turning his face towards mine. The tips of our noses bumped before I sat back and cleared my throat. "You've always lived here right?"

"Yeah." I set my chin in the crooks of my elbows resting on my knees. "I was born like twenty minutes from my house and only ever moved once from right about there.." I pointed out at a large peach colored building that had been my elementary school when I was a kid which was in my old neighborhood. "To where we are now, which is only maybe five minutes away."

After staring off where I had pointed, Feliciano turned to me. "Haven't you ever traveled or anything?"

I shrugged. "Nope. I mean I've been to Kansas because I have family there, but mostly I've just been here. But I don't mind I mean I like it here a lot. But, I would love to see the world more than anything." I sighed. "There's just so much out there that I've read about a million times and would love to see in person."

When he didn't answer right away I turned to him. He was studying my face with shining eyes and a smile.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just, I could take you all around. Anywhere you want to go. It wouldn't be a problem for me." He said almost bashfully. "Your face lights up when you talk about those places. I would be the luckiest guy in the world if I got to be the one to show them to you."

I felt myself blush but I couldn't look away from him. "You really mean that" I asked quietly.

He nodded and took my hands in his tightly. "Of course! I never make promises I can't keep! I mean unless there's some reason I really, really can't keep it, in which case I will find a way to keep it usually!" He smiled brightly.

"You don't owe me anything Feliciano-"

"Oh I know that!"

"You just.. Want to take me?"

"Mmhm! Just because okay?"

"I'll hold you to that then." I managed to breathe as another breeze rolled across the hills. I smiled. "No one's ever wanted to take me out like that. And you're willing to take me halfway around the world for almost nothing."

"Well you're worth it." Feliciano grinned and held my gaze in earnest. "You know you have really pretty eyes and little freckles on your nose. You're pretty up close."

"Stop it." I shook my head embarrassedly and looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set. If we didn't start back then it would get dark and we would be stranded without flashlights. I stood up slowly. "Come on we should start heading down. It's gonna get dark-"

Feli sprang up and took my hands again. "No wait! Haven't you ever been called pretty before? That wasn't exactly the reaction I was expecting."

I avoided his honey colored eyes. "Well no not really."

"You know I wouldn't lie to you." He caught my gaze by ducking down. "I'm a terrible liar and you would know right away if I was. I would never ever lie to you."

I smiled. "I know Feliciano." I pulled on his hands so he would start to walk. "Now come on. Let's head down before it gets dark okay?"

He flashed a brilliant smile. "Lead the way."

* * *

><p>On the last day before the conference I explained the situation to my mom. We had gotten our plane tickets in the mail and we were entirely set to leave the next morning. We were packed and everything was squared away.<p>

"I think everything will be just fine. The email had all the confirmation codes for everything I printed it off so when we get to the hotel we won't have any problems. Plus we got everything else in the mail." I stole a glance back and Feliciano who had fallen asleep on the bed beside Ruby in our spare bedroom where my mother was sitting at the computer desk and typing something up for my dad's from home business. "Plus he misses his brother and friends so it'll be good for him to see them."

"Are you going to see the sights at all?" My mom asked, turning in the desk chair.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure how much free time we'll have but we will do what we can. I'm sure everything will be set up for us once we get to the hotel."

My mom nodded with a smile. "Everything will be just fine. Just stay in contact. And don't forget your camera. I want to see everything you do."

"Of course." I rolled my eyes, but smiled despite myself.

The next morning came alarmingly fast. We left for the airport at the very crack of dawn. Neither Feliciano or I were fully awake and we weren't going to drive all the way to Sacramento without some kind of caffeinated beverage. We pulled into a Starbucks that was conveniently along the way to the freeway. As we stood in line I yawned and closed my eyes against his arm.

"Why did we have to get up so early again? It's not even light out yet." He yawned too and his eyes slipped shut.

"Well, flights at eight, we need about an hour to get there and my dad always says we need an hour for security check and everything." I said into the soft sleeve of his sweater. "You can use me as a pillow during the flight okay?"

Feli giggled sleepily. "You are just so super sweet."

"I could say the exact same thing about you." I smiled up at him.

"You might be half asleep but if I didn't know better I'd say you were being flirty." He teased lightly. His hand shifted and his fingers laced in between mine.

Suddenly I was wide awake and hyper aware of the slightly more intimate contact. "I feel like there's some stuff I could tell you about me. That I didn't before you know? I could tell you about school and everything I want to do." I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Would you want to talk about that kind of stuff? I just want you to feel like you know me-"

He set a slender finger on my lips and giggled. "Yes. I want to hear everything about you. Don't worry okay? And I can tell you all about history things."

"Thank you." I smiled into the gentle pressure of his finger on my lip.

"Are you two ready to order?" The barista behind the register said politely.

We turned to her, ordered our drinks and hopped onto the freeway. Our fingers remained wrapped around each other the entire drive there.

* * *

><p><em>The songs I've used as chapter titles so far are as follows...<em>

_1. Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promises (Avett Brothers)_

_2. Temptation (New Order)_

_3. Whistle for the Choir (The Fratellis)_

_4. Inside(This Heart of Mine) (Fats Waller)_

_5. You're the One I Want (Chris and Thomas)_

_6. In an Aeroplane Over the Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel)_


	7. Oh, Honey Pie

_A/N: At long last, other nations! And horrifying dark lurking parts of fandom to fend away. Thanks for reading far enough to get to the gang, but they are mostly here and with more to come! Leave reviews gosh darnit. _

* * *

><p><span><em>You are making me crazy..<em>

"What do you mean delayed?" I asked as Feliciano clung to the back of my sweater at our gate in the bustling airport.

The woman behind the desk gave an annoyed huff before typing something on her computer. "I'm sorry Miss but your layover flight to Washington DC is going to be a couple of hours late. There's nothing I can do and I don't know why it's late." She snatched a piece of paper from the printer behind her. "This is your new gate and flight time. I suggest you go there and wait. Enjoy your stay in Chicago."

I blinked a few times, slightly taken aback by the woman's short tone. Feliciano let out a breath and took my hand.

"Come on." He slipped the paper from my hand and lifted our bags onto his shoulders. "All we can do is wait now. Thank you for the information pretty lady." He nodded politely to the woman and she rolled her eyes in response

I let him lead me through the terminal which was still bustling with business men and ruffled families rushing this way and that. "My dream is to be a history teacher." I said as we stopped in front of a line of terrible airport chairs.

Feli dropped the bags and then turned with a "Hm?"

"I want to teach history to high schoolers. They don't really think it's important so I want to show them if they don't get fired up about history, then the next generation won't think it's important either." I sat down and started picking at my fingernails. "I mean it's incredibly important. And I don't want people to forget." I stole a glance at the Italian and suddenly his eyes looked incredibly old and tired. "I just wanted you to know what my dream was."

"You like to learn all that?" He asked as he knelt down in front of me.

I nodded. "The struggles of the past have made us who we are today." I took his hand tightly in mine. "It's important to remember that. Or something. I don't know that's just what I think. A lot of people don't."

He nodded. "I think that that's a lot to learn about. But I like that you want to know it. Can you handle all of the bad that's happened?"

I hesitated. "Not as good as you."

Feliciano let out a breath but then smiled and his eyes slipped shut. "Yeah well, sometimes it's easier to pretend it didn't happen." He climbed into the chair next to mine. "There's been a lot of history. Not even someone like me can remember it all."

I smiled. "Well maybe you can help me learn. Venice is a place I want to know everything about and I have this sinking suspicion that you can be my text book. Only way cuter then an actual book. Which is incredibly weird to say, by the way."

His face lit up as he giggled. "Well, I can try to be. I can tell you everything when I take you."

* * *

><p>Our plane was almost four hours late and I fell asleep as we made our way the final stretch across the country. We touched down long after night had fallen, or so I can hardly remember. Through sleepy eyes I can remember Feliciano waking me up from my seat right before disappearing back behind a haze of light sleep again. When I came slightly too again, I was warm and rocking back and forth ever so slightly and someone was humming lightly under my cheek. I looked around slowly, with no idea of how much time had passed and in a momentarily lapse even where I was at all. Baggage claim a sign read, in what I assumed was the airport in Washington. I let out a breath as the smell of Felicano's cologne made me realize I was on his back. He was rocking from his heels to his toes and watching suitcases go by on the belt with bright honey colored eyes and humming just loud enough for me to hear it through his back.<p>

"Mm.. You're deceptively strong." I mumbled into the soft fabric of his shirt.

He laughed lightly. "No. You're just so light it's like holding nothing at all."

"If you say so Feli." I closed my eyes again against his shoulder.

"Well I do say so."

I could already feel myself dozing again. "Could I tell you anything?"

"Anything at all."

"I think that I have a massive crush on you." My tired voice spoke on its own as I snuggled a little bit closer to his back with a sigh. "Like I think that if you liked me too I would be the happiest girl ever. And you literally have been nothing but so sweet to me. Can I ask you something?"

"What is it bella." He asked me quietly.

"Do you think one day we could go on a date or something? I mean I could treat you to something really cool.. We could decide what to do together." I could feel sleeps long arms wrapping around me and my eyes closed heavily. "I'll try to be better for you so we can go."

He didn't speak until I was already almost completely asleep. "Don't change a thing about yourself Delilah."

* * *

><p>A soft light woke me up in the morning. I groaned in response and snuggled into a fluffy white pillow that wasn't mine. After that realization, it took only a few more seconds to realize I wasn't on the plane anymore and I certainly wasn't waking up in my own bed. I sat up and rubbed at my wild morning hair, trying to remember how exactly I had gotten into the hotel room from the plane. I looked around warily.<p>

"Oh gosh you are just too cute in the morning!" Feliciano appeared from the bathroom, with damp hair that clung to his cheeks.

"Stop that." I ran my hands through my hair, trying to get it in order. "When did we roll in last night? I barely remember."

The Italian smiled. "Late. I carried you."

I blinked at him. "You did? I am so sorry. You should have woken me up. Oh gosh I can't even believe you did that Feliciano!" I covered my face with my hands.

"What? Why are you sorry?" His hands closed around my wrists and tugged my hands gently away from my face so he could peek up at my eyes. "You need to get up and get ready so we can go sight-seeing. You said you love history and I know a lot of it so I can teach you."

I climbed out of bed as he snuggled into the pillows. "Okay, but if were going out I need to put on something other than pajamas."

"You could go out just like that if you wanted and you would look just fine." He teased with a warm smile on his face. "But, if you absolutely have to, get dressed bella! Anything you wear will look so so cute on and then I can take you out! I'm going to be your personal tour guide."

I rolled my eyes as I begin to look through my suitcase. "What does that mean? Bella? I haven't heard you say that to me before." I held up a pair of jeans and a shirt and then another and then a third. "Where are you taking me anyway?"

"Out and around!" He grinned. "And bella means beautiful!"

"That's as bad as when you were calling me pretty girl. I have a name Feli, that's not an embarrassing nickname." I rolled my eyes, but I smiled despite myself. "Let me shower and then I'll be ready to go."

I dressed up somewhat nice, as per Feliciano's request. Nice-ish anyway, in dark jeans, a flowery patterned top and a pair of bright green flats that were just a little bit too big. He took me by the hand and we made our way around the major tourist sites. With excited hands, he made up stories about everything and I laughed until I was crying.

"You see they made this because one time a really old man sat down and wouldn't get up." Feliciano explained with the most serious expression I had ever seen on his face.

I covered my mouth with the hand that wasn't wrapped tightly around his. "Is that so."

"Did you know they even say that he's actually under that stone? He sat so long they just carved him into the statue." He whispered as we began to walk again. A wide warm smile lit his face. "Are you hungry? I know a place and the owner knows me so he'll cook you something super fresh." He turned and captured my other hand and steered me carefully through a huge group of tourists.

"I'm starving. You were just such an amazing tour guide I didn't even notice."

His smile faded as he suddenly froze on the sidewalk. His honey eyes narrowed somewhere behind me.

"What is it Feli?"

"R..Romano?" He whispered shakily.

"What?" I turned quickly to try and find where he was looking. Sure enough, the dark haired Italian was being pulled down the street by a fairly normal looking girl, normal except for her lack of any sense of style and poorly dyed hair. Feliciano's hands tightened around mine as his older brother looked over to us.

In a violent motion, he freed himself from the girl's group and pushed her away. He sprinted towards us.

"Fratello?" Feliciano tilted his head to the side.

"No Lovi! Where are you going!?" The poorly dressed girl shouted after him.

"Fuck you, you crazy bitch!" Romano collided with Feliciano and tore his hand from mine. "Don't you dare touch my brother. Run Veneziano now!"

"But Romano-"

"Don't you argue with me fratello." Romano pushed his brother behind him protectively. "You aren't allowed to touch my brother ever again do you hear me?" He threatened me.

"No she's wonderful Romano! Let me just-"

A loud squeal made the three of us turn. "Italy? Oh so kawaii~" He voice grated through the crowd of tourists.

"Run fast! Both of you." Feliciano opened his mouth, and although it killed me I bounced up and down on my heels and cut him off. "No hurry! Back to the hotel room! You'll be safe there and I'll er.. Try to hold her back."

Romano pulled a strange face, something between disgust and shock. "You're a moron and you've obviously brainwashed my brother." He said through gritted teeth.

"Please Romano!" Feliciano tried to worm his way back to me but he was held tight.

Another shriek came from the girl still trying to make her way through the crowd when she realized Romano had grabbed onto his brother's hand and Feliciano was clinging to his arm. The pair flinched.

"Shit." Romano hissed under his breath. He hauled Feliciano backwards. "She's like some kind of ogre or something."

"If you don't run she'll get you both. I'll be fine just hurry!" I glanced one more time at my doe eyed Italian. "I promise I'll be fine." I mouthed to him as his brother dragged him into another huge crowd. I turned to the girl as she broke through the tourists in front of me. Her dark eyes met mine as she ran full speed into my body. We both hit the hot cement with an off that knocked the wind from me. I grabbed her clammy hands and tried desperately to flip her over so I could pin her to the ground.

"Let me go! Can't you see they're getting away!?" She looked up and scanned the groups around us, desperately looking for the Italian brothers. "You made me lose them baka!"

"He didn't exactly look like he wanted to be with you. You can't just make him you know." I groaned as I managed to sit up.

"Look what you did." She whined, seemingly having ignored what I had said.

I rolled my eyes. I was sure they were a safe distance away by now and stood, with a little bit of effort. I was going to have bruises on my knees and maybe my boney hip too. I always joked that I bruised like some kind of over-ripe banana. I dusted off my dark skinny jeans as the girl wobbled and then found her feet. She gave me a critical once over before raising one of her thick eyebrows.

"Who are you? Ne, you're kind of a kill joy for being so close to Feli-kun." She crossed her arms. "How'd you manage to get ahold of him anyway? You don't really look like an otaku at all, but you are a lucky duck." She poked me in the ribs with a smile.

I cringed. "You don't really either though.."

"My names Chihiro." She paused and tapped her chin. "Chihiro-chan, actually. What's your name now that you know mine?"

"Um, it's Delilah." I managed a smile. My mind became completely preoccupied with finding Feliciano. I turned and Chihiro turned with me.

"Well Del-chan, I've decided I'm not gonna be upset with you for letting Lovi escape from me. If you make a deal with me that is"

Immediately suspicious, I stopped looking and turned to her. "What kind of deal exactly?"

"You let me touch that hair curl of Feli's and I'll let you off the hook." She winked.

A sinking feeling of horror hit me. "How dare you even suggest betraying his trust like that! He's sweet and wonderful and you would force him to do something like that? Knowing full well what it would do to him?"

Chihiro looked taken aback, like it had never occurred to her. "Well.. Haven't you?"

"No I haven't."

"But you want to."

"No I don't!"

"Don't lie to me Del-Chan. I can see it written all over your face! All it takes is a single touch and he's all yours-"

"And then what!" I turned on my heel to face her. "I wouldn't ever betray his trust like that! Feliciano would be mine only if he wanted to, not because I forced myself on him like that! He's a person, who has feelings. Wait.. you didn't do anything like that to Lovino did you?"

Chihiro shrugged. "I tried, but he head butted me. Long story short it didn't work."

I sighed. "At least there's that." All I could think of was returning to the hotel room after that. But, I couldn't let her see where we were staying. If she followed me even close to the hotel she might be able to find Romano, and worst of all Feliciano. "Look, it's been great er, Chihiro. But I've got to get going. Good luck finding Romano."

She blinked at me almost confusedly before a genuine smile lit her face. It was different than the crazed one from earlier and actually made her look normal. "Yeah I'm actually kind of worried. Sorry about all the fuss. See you later." With that she disappeared into the crowd.

I let out a long breath. "What in the world. She could be decent if she dropped that whole fake Japanese thing." I said to myself. The sun had started to set and the tourists were starting to clear and it was then that I realized I had no idea how to get back to the hotel. Of course Feliciano had been carrying my phone in the pocket of his jeans so I wouldn't have to carry my bag.

Cautiously, I started on the sidewalk in the direction I thought the hotel had to be. I was thinking if I could retrace my steps I could find something that look familiar. "No, no this isn't right at all."

"Woah you lost?" A voice made me turn. "I can help you but, uh.. You'll have to hide with me first. I'm kinda running away, understand?" A hand grabbed mine and I met the shining blue eyes of a blonde man. "Oh and I saw you with Feli earlier so that means I can trust you right?" He winked.

"Oh sure." I said quietly. I searched his face and smiled. "It's nice to meet you by the way."

"You too-"

"Iggy wait!" A screechy voice made us both cringe.

"I suggest you both run and quickly." Another blonde ran full speed around the corner just behind us.

"Arthur?"

"Did I mention anything about questions Alfred? Run idiot." The English man grabbed Alfred's arm and pulled him roughly into the small dark alley. I was jerked into the shadows after them by the hand that the blonde American still held tightly in his.

"Artie is she after you or me?"

"Stop asking questions and shut your mouth."

He rolled his bright eyes. He leaned against the wall with a shoulder and kept a careful watch on the area outside the safety of the shadows, but with an air of annoyance. Arthur tried to get his breathing back in order as he eyed me carefully.

"Iggy-kun? Where did you go?" The voice came again and the two nations tensed. Arthur flattened himself against the wall. And even Alfred, who was trying to act annoyed, flattened himself up against the rough bricks and set a hand on my mouth.

"Shh." He whispered.

The horrible girl's footsteps got louder. "Iggy please come back! I really didn't mean to touch you inappropriately I promise!"

I turned to Arthur, who had clenched his jaw tightly. The girl's footsteps faded into the quickly cooling night air and Alfred cautiously peeked out of the alleyway in the direction her footsteps had gone.

"All clear." He turned. "The names Alfred, oh and that old man huffing for breath against the wall is Arthur."

"Charmed." Arthur ignored the insult. "And you are?"

"My names Delilah. You were both running away?" I asked.

"From the devil." They answered together with a pair of exasperated sighs.

"You called?" Another figure emerged from the shadows. "Privet. I'm Ivan. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on your talk, I am running away too." He smiled sweetly.

"Dude you _cannot _just sneak up on us like that. Not when everyone's running away from those crazy girls. No subtlety at all, you're still creeping around in the shadows." Alfred rambled angrily.

"Alfred shut your mouth." Arthur rubbed at his forehead.

"You're all running away. Are the other girls all that bad?" I chose to look up into Ivan's violet eyes as he approached us slowly.

He nodded. "You see, unfortunately we've all been placed in very unique positions because of our professions. It's not very fun."

I chewed nervously on my lip. I had to get the three of them to trust me so I could get them back to the hotel room that Feliciano had returned to. It was the least I could do. The three of them looked exhausted and on edge and if I could allow them a night of rest it would make me feel happy. "I can help you, but you have to trust me first."  
>"And why, pray tell, would we do that." Arthur crossed his arms across his chest.<p>

"Please don't take my scarf." Ivan took a few steps back and clutched at the worn white fabric around his neck.

Alfred narrowed his bright gaze behind his glasses. "Feliciano trusts you. I saw her with him earlier. He didn't look scared at all."

"Feliciano is a moron." Arthur straightened his back. "I'm not keen on the idea of escaping one prison only to end up in another."

"No, no! I promise!" I held up my hands. "I won't touch you. I just think a good night's sleep would do you all good. There are two huge beds in our room. You can relax. You've just gotta trust me."

Alfred shrugged. "What've I got to lose. Anything is better than that hellhole I came from. You've got America behind you kiddo." "He stuck out a hand and I shook it with a relieved breath.

"Mm, okay. I don't want to be touched anymore and if you promise you won't than I will come too." Ivan smiled again but it didn't quite reach his eyes and a chill slipped off of him.

I nodded quickly. "Good I'm glad!"

Alfred turned to Arthur expectantly. "Waiting on you old man."

He rolled his green eyes. "I have no other option. If I don't find some place to sleep I will have to return to.." He shuttered. "And seeing as how you haven't tried to touch me I believe I will trust you. For now." He crossed his arms across his chest.

I smiled. "Awesome. Okay follow me."


End file.
